Theater: Allentown Public Theatre takes on 'The Island'

Kenek Photography / CONTRIBUTED photo

Allentown Public Theatre presents 'The Island' Friday to May 1. the South African story of two political prisoners on Robben Island is given a contemporary context with a chorus representing modern-day day American prisoners. Ryan Fields (second from left) and Jamil Joseph (third from left) play the Robben Island inmates. Theophilus Timothy (left) and Chiedu Mbonu (right) bridge the gap between then and now with music and movement.

Allentown Public Theatre presents 'The Island' Friday to May 1. the South African story of two political prisoners on Robben Island is given a contemporary context with a chorus representing modern-day day American prisoners. Ryan Fields (second from left) and Jamil Joseph (third from left) play the Robben Island inmates. Theophilus Timothy (left) and Chiedu Mbonu (right) bridge the gap between then and now with music and movement. (Kenek Photography / CONTRIBUTED photo)

A play that addresses incarceration and police brutality will be presented by Allentown Public Theatre as part of a year-long, Valley-wide arts series called "Voices of Conscience: Toward Racial Understanding."

Opening Friday is "The Island," written in 1973 during the apartheid era by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona.

The goal of "Voices of Conscience" is to nurture the production of socially conscious art and engage the community in relevant conversation. The theater will present a performance of "The Island" for residents of the Community Corrections Center, an alternative corrections facility in Bethlehem.

"We felt the repertoire in the Lehigh Valley is not as connected to issues as it could be," says Anna Russell, Allentown Public Theatre Artistic Director. "We felt it was not targeting people living in downtown Allentown."

"The Island" tells the story of two political prisoners on Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held. They labor by day, but at night, they talk about memories of home and rehearse for a prison performance of the Greek tragedy "Antigone." In their portrayal of Antigone's courage, they give voice to their own dissent.

Russell says the play was chosen in reaction to stories in the news about police brutality. "We felt it was time to talk about issues," she says.

She says that although the play addresses apartheid specifically, the work's "emotional resonance speaks to broader issues.

"The theme has to do with political resistance and what it's like to live in an oppressive environment and maintain your personal integrity. It is a meaningful and resonant piece."

She says originally the show had two actors playing the inmates. In the Allentown Public Theatre production, Ryan Fields and Jamil Joseph play the inmates, John and Winston, but are joined by a three-person chorus who represent modern prisoners and drum, dance and sing between the scenes.

"They are meant to react to scenes," Russell says. "We are hoping to subtly reference issues of mass incarceration and what it means having freedom taken away."

Original music for the Allentown production was written by Vernon Mobley, who plays djembe drum. The other members of the chorus are Chiedu Mbonu and Theophilus Timothy.

"The Island" is loosely based on the true story of Fugard, a white South African, who formed an interracial theatre company. He was rehearsing a production of "Antigone," with its message of standing up to oppression, when some of his actors were arrested on trumped-up charges and sent to Robben Island prison, where word came back, one was doing a one-man version of the Greek tragedy during lunch hour.

"The Island" premiered in Capetown under another name to avoid censorship. Then it toured internationally, including on Broadway, where the actors, Kani and Ntshona, shared a Tony Award for best actor in 1975.

In the case of rain, outdoor performances will be moved to Christ Lutheran Church Saturday, Sunday and April 30 and St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 417 N. Seventh St. on May 1.

The final show of Act 1's 46th season at DeSales University is the lavish British musical "Me and My Girl."

"Me and My Girl" tells the story of Bill Snibson, a Cockney charmer who learns he has inherited an earldom. To the horror of his newfound upper crust relatives, he and his fishmonger girlfriend Sally try to win the aristocratic family's approval, but every attempt to groom Bill for nobility results in chaos.

"'Me and My Girl' started out on the British stage in the late 1930s, says John Bell, head of the division of performing arts. It was then made into a film, revived in London in 1952 and received a new production in London in 1985.

Bell says the London version "took Broadway by storm winning three of its 11 Tony award nominations."

"No show can withstand such a test of time unless it's a great show," he says. "It's a real rags-to-riches charmer with a great score."

Musical numbers include "The Lambeth Walk," "Leaning on a Lamppost" and "Me and My Girl."

The show is directed and choreographed by 1989 graduate Stephen Casey with musical direction by Nathan Diehl.

Scenic designer is by Will Neuert as scenic designer and costumes by guest artist Linda Bee Stockton.

The performance at 2 p.m. May 7 will feature open captioning for those who are deaf or hearing impaired and audio descriptions for those who are blind or visually impaired.

There will be a guided "touch tour" at 1 p.m. for blind or visually impaired patrons by the cast and crew to introduce the patrons to props, costumes and the surroundings of the play. Tickets are half price for patrons using these services. Call box office manager Catherine Logan at 610-282-3654, ext. 1, for information.

There is a talk after the 2 p.m. May 1 performance.

•"Me and My Girl," 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 2 p.m. Sundays, April 27 to May 8; Main Stage, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley. Tickets: $27; $25, students and seniors Wednesdays and Thursdays; $29, $27, students and seniors Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. 610-282-3192, www.desales.edu/act1.

'Mary Poppins' in Catasauqua

Actors will be flying across the stage when Catasauqua Area Showcase Theatre presents the Walt Disney musical "Mary Poppins" for two weekends at Catasauqua High School. CAST is a nonprofit group whose members build their own sets and backdrops and make all their own costumes and props.

"Mary Poppins" is based on the 1964 musical movie starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke that received 13 Academy Award nominations and won five.

The show draws elements from the movie and the series of children's books by P.L. Travers. It includes songs composed by the Sherman Brothers for the movie as well as additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The musical opened on Broadway in 2006 when it earned seven Tony award nominations and won one.

He said audiences can expect to see Mary Poppins "work her magic on stage" with a seemingly bottomless carpet bag. Also watch for nursery toys that come to life.

The children's roles are double-cast. Jane and Michael Banks are played by Hannah Kurczeski and Gabrielle Vecciarelli, and Isabella Fedele and Jared Drabick.

Bob Falkenstein and Darice Hoffman play the children's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Banks.

This is CAST's 24th year. Money from productions assist local families in need through the Families Helping Families Program.

"We're a family-based organization," Nothstein says. "We like to give back to the community."

The theater group was started by Nothstein and Ron DeMaio as The Sheckler Players in 1993 and cast members were students from the elementary school. The name was changed in 1996 and the group opened to the community.

The student-directed Muhlenberg Circus Workshop returns this weekend for its third year with an original contemporary circus performance that takes up the story of Pandora's Box, in the setting of a post-World War II traveling circus.

"VOD" was written and directed by two of the circus workshop co-founders, seniors Noah S. Dach and Henry Evans, and will showcase the talents of 14 aerialists, acrobats, dancers, jugglers, actors, tappers and acrobats. New is a performance featuring Chinese pole dancing. Senior Tyler Holoboski choreographs the production.

The production will be presented in Muhlenberg's 120-seat Studio Theatre, a black-box style space. Dach says the audience will enter to an empty space, and then witness its dramatic transformation into a 1940s circus tent.

" 'VOD' is the story of humanity's modern Pandora's Box," he says. "It's set in the period when mankind developed an atomic bomb, the moment when we acquired the ability to extinguish ourselves and our world."

Last season's circus production, "Atlas," was a contemporary adaptation of the Alice in Wonderland story and sold out.

The performers are under the artistic supervision of Muhlenberg Dance Program chairwoman Karen Dearborn.

"Karen has gone above and beyond for her students and has given everyone that has been a part of the Circus Workshop an unforgettable and truly life altering opportunity," Dach says. "Without her inspiring vision, care and dedication, this program would not be where it is today."

Dach, Evans and other graduating members of the workshop have plans to go pro after graduating this spring. They spent spring break this year scouting locations and laying the groundwork for the Atlas Circus Company. The company seeks to create a new kind of narrative circus performance, catalyze circus education around the country, and build a home for circus artists in America. Info: atlascircus.com